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mastering the marg.mp3
I don’t want the full story now! Just tell me what I need! (jump to shopping list and recipe)
Margaritas are beloved, but so much bad info is out there. Let’s cut through the noise so you can crank out a delicious one… or ten.
Why this drink matters
Because it is an icon. Even if it isn’t your go-to, at some point when you’re hosting, it is going to come up. So many are made poorly and it is not hard to level up.
Busting myths and avoiding potholes
- Avoid bottles that do not explicitly say “100% Agave”. If this is not on the label, then it is a style of tequila called “mixto”, which almost always is low quality.
- If you’re making a classic marg that calls on triple sec, don’t overspend on tequila and underspend on triple sec. Low quality triple sec uses “orange flavor”, whatever that is. No matter how good your tequila, bad triple sec leads to bad marg. Higher quality triple sec uses actual oranges.
- Fresh-squeezed lime juice makes a huge difference. Why? Once a lime is squeezed, within a few days the juice transforms from sour to bitter. Bitter = margs that taste less awesome.
- Sweeteners, like simple syrup or agave nectar, play an important role in cocktails. In a well-made drink they don’t make it sweet, but instead soften the bite of the booze, sour, and bitter ingredients.
Shopping list
- Blanco tequila: Cimarron, ElVelo, Arette, Lunazul, Lalo or other 100% Agave brands.
- Citrus: fresh lime juice (on average, 1 lime equals about 1 oz of fresh juice)
- Sweetener: agave nectar or simple syrup
- Triple Sec: Cointreau, Giffard, Joseph Cartron, and Combier
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Pro Tips/Technique